1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a driving apparatus for oscillation of a mold within a continuous casting machine, and more particularly to a driving apparatus which facilitates the remote control alteration of the oscillation amplitude.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Within cast molding apparatus, molds are generally reciprocated in the casting direction, and the reciprocating movement is performed for peeling metal condensed upon a mold in order to prevent sticking of the metal to the mold wall. Furthermore, the oscillation amplitude of the casting mold is appropriately adjusted depending upon the kind of steel and the size of a cast piece in order to improve the quality of the cast piece, especially the surface condition thereof.
As means for accomplishing this adjustment, there has been provided a power transmission mechanism which includes a prime mover, a worm, a worm wheel, an eccentric shaft, an eccentric shaft portion, an eccentric sleeve and a connecting rod, and there have been adopted various arrangements of such components, (1) one such arrangement including discs which are disposed upon the eccentric shaft and the eccentric sleeve, the relative displacements of these eccentric members being manually changed upon the machine side while the operation thereof is stopped. (2) A second arrangement includes a worm final drive gear, to be rotated intermittently in a step by step manner during oscillation, which is secured upon the eccentric shaft and connected to a disc disposed upon the eccentric sleeve, the relative displacements of the eccentric shaft and the eccentric sleeve being changed by driving the worm final drive gear upon the machine side while the operation thereof is stopped. (3) A third arrangement includes a moving fulcrum, interposed between and connected to the power transmission mechanism and the casting mold oscillating mechanism through means of a linkage mechanism whereby the moving fulcrum is shifted so as to obtain the aforenoted adjustment. (4) Lastly, a fourth arrangement includes an eccentric cam per se which is exchanged for accomplishment of the adjustment.
The foregoing arrangements denoted (1), (2) and (4) have proven defective, however, in that automatic remote control is very difficult to practice, and although the amplitude adjustment can be automatically performed by remote control within arrangement (3), the same is practically defective in that accumulation of backlash within the oscillating mechanism is quite extreme, an oscillation of a small amplitude can scarcely be obtained, and another power source is necessary for accomplishing shifting of the moving fulcrum.
Furthermore, as the refractory materials utilized within the continuous casting apparatus should be exchanged within time intervals of 5-6 hours, and at the time of such an exchange operation the casting speed should be decreased, when the casting speed is in fact decreased, the oscillation frequency and oscillation amplitude should also be altered so as to correspond with the decreased casting speed, otherwise, cast pieces having good surface conditions cannot be obtained. According to conventional techniques, however, only the oscillation frequency is permitted to be altered during the casting process, and accordingly, development of a continuous casting apparatus within which not only the oscillation frequency, but also the oscillation amplitude, can be altered during the casting process, has been needed and desired within the art.
In accordance with such apparatus, there is apparatus of broadly this type disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 3,292,215, however, this conventional apparatus is seen to be quite similar to the apparatus noted in connection with that of category (1), hereinabove, and it is additionally noted that its structure is quite complex. Accordingly, the operation involves various practical difficulties, and the apparatus is defective in that remote control is impossible and the amplitude of oscillation cannot be adjusted during operation thereof.